


crooked queen

by dustblossom



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: F/M, Inspired by King of Scars, Mild Angst, Roleswap AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27895333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dustblossom/pseuds/dustblossom
Summary: The clank of rusted chains pulled Inej out of her feverish thoughts, and she opened her eyes, head pounding.
Relationships: Inej Ghafa/Kaz Brekker
Kudos: 16





	crooked queen

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Kanej/Zoyalai roleswap AU that I've been thinking about a bit!

The clank of rusted chains pulled Inej out of her feverish thoughts, and she opened her eyes, head pounding. Kaz stood in front of her, brushing dust off his blue kefta. His cane leaned against the vanity.

She tried not to look at the silver chains in his hands. He looked grim, delicate features set into a hard line. For a few moments, the room was entirely silent.

"Wrists, please." After a moment of debate, she nodded and held them out. This still hadn't gotten any easier, even after two years. Kaz crossed to the other side of the bed and began to tie her wrists down.

The chains were cold against her skin. She did not move, but shut her eyes instead. She hated this. She hated that she couldn't be trusted to turn into a monster and terrorize the very people who she'd sworn to protect. 

"Are they too tight?" Slowly, she opened her eyes again. 

"No. They're fine." He nodded and moved to the foot of the bed, dark eyes narrowed in concentration. Her mouth was almost painfully dry.

Instead of chaining her feet to the bed, he glanced up at her, something like worry in his eyes. She blinked at him.

"What? I'm fine." This elicited a sigh from her general, but she continued. "Let's get this over with."

"If you say so, Your Majesty." She rolled her eyes, but chose not to say anything else; he was in a strange enough mood.

As Kaz began to chain her legs to the bed, her thoughts wandered. Her parents would be horrified if they could see her now. But they were long dead, and she had no one to blame but herself.

"Thank the Saints, you're done." Inej exclaimed, partly to take her mind off her parents. He scowled at her, pushing himself painfully to his feet.

"No thanks to you, but yes." Inej smiled serenely at him. "Is there anything else you need for the night?"

Inej shook her head. Stay, she wanted to say. Stay and help me stay alive. But Queens did not beg, so she said nothing.

"Goodnight, then." Kaz reached for his cane. "I have to go check on Jesper and Nina." As he limped toward the exit, she found her voice.

"Will you be here tomorrow?" She hated the barely concealed longing in her voice, and hated that she had asked at all. A half smile tugged at his lips.

"Of course I will. It's my job." With that, he stepped through the door and vanished. 

After he'd left, she stared at the ceiling for hours, fighting back gasps of pain. Queens did not weep, no matter what predicament they'd gotten themselves into. She knew this. 

But the tears fell anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a kudos if you enjoyed it!


End file.
